This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!
The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, and TSN just to name a few!
If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!
Give us a follow on the socials!
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Oilersnation
Edmonton Oilers may not be done in net
- The team may still be looking at improving their situation in net after failing to address the situation in the off-season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman penned in his first 32 Thoughts column of the season.
“I don’t think Edmonton is done in goal. That storyline sticks around for a while. Mike Smith will be there, but what happens around him?”
- The team was rumoured to be in discussions with the Columbus Blue Jackets surrounding Elvis Merzlikins or Joonas Korpisalo, but nothing materialized.
- The club also were deep in talks with the Arizona Coyotes around Darcy Kuemper, but was ultimately outbid by the Colorado Avalanche.
- In early August, Friedman and Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek theorized that Anton Khudobin could be a goaltender the Oilers target in a trade to pair alongside Smith. Dallas has Ben Bishop in net and signed Braden Holtby this past offseason meaning if Bishop is healthy, Khudobin could be on the outside looking in.
BLH’s Thoughts: Holland said on Oilers Now yesterday that he likes his tandem of Smith and Koskinen. Plus, with the news that Alex Stalock will miss the year, Holland added that he won’t be looking to add another netminder to replace the American goalie as they’ve got Stu Skinner and Ilya Konovalov ready to be recalled.
So, it’s up to you as to who you want to believe, Elliotte Friedman or Ken Holland. I just know this, I’ve been told the team is still looking and I’ve heard Arizona and Buffalo’s name come up on countless occasions. If they get involved in any deal with the Oilers, I imagine it will be as a facilitator of cash since they don’t really have any NHL goalies on their rosters.
Lowetide.ca
WATCHER OF THE SKIES
- Ken Holland is too smart to enter a third playoff spring with the Smith-Koskinen tandem.
- I think the goalie situation gets solved at the deadline. Mikko Koskinen plus a first-round pick kind of deal.
- The delayed arrival on the ice by Keith gives Edmonton some time to evaluate possible replacements for the veteran on the second pair.
- Holland had good things to say about Tyler Benson, saying he’s proven to be a top AHL player. He mentioned waivers, coming into training camp and getting every opportunity. He said, and this important, he has to “play his way off the team” and that’s a very good indication. Holland send Benson spent all summer in the gym.
BLH’s Thoughts: I’ve already spoken to the goaltending situation, so we won’t touch on that again, but as for the potential spot opening up on defense on the left side of the third pair, I’d try out Markus Niemelainen. He’s older and he looks stronger and more mature than say, Philip Broberg.
That comment from Holland really is good news for Benson. I know I’ve said some discouraging things about him in the past and I won’t be doing any backtracking, but I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of progress Benson has made this summer and if he will be able to pivot his playing style to fit that of a 4th line LW at the NHL level.
Sportsnet
32 Thoughts: The state of the RFA market as training camps open
- I know there’s a craving for Jack Eichel information.
- This is what I’m expecting over the next few days: Eichel comes to camp, but does not pass his physical and is not cleared to play.
- I also think there’s a very good chance Buffalo removes his captaincy.
- What I don’t know is if they’ve settled the medical path.
- I heard there were some trade talks a couple of weeks ago, but I think people want to see what the doctors say.
- In Ottawa, they’ve talked long-term with Tkachuk and we’ll see if short-term is necessary to get it done.
- I’m not sure they are far apart in actual dollars, but structure, with the Senators not being a team that gives much in bonuses.
- I’m also wondering if another skirmish is over no-trade or no-move protection at the end of a long-term deal.
- In Vancouver, both team and Hughes/Pettersson have been grinding hard on almost a daily basis.
- It’s believed the Canucks are currently thinking short term in both cases, but Kaprizov’s deal makes me wonder if the true solution is Mikko Rantanen’s six-year, $9.25M contract that would buy the Canucks two years of free agency.
- It was quiet on Thomas before he signed. I think St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong told teams he wasn’t interested in trading the player, because there definitely are admirers.
- Nathan MacKinnon confirmed a good little rumour — that Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid skated as linemates at a Montreal camp…
BLH’s Thoughts: As we know, the Oilers added one of the league’s elite grinders in Zach Hyman because those kind of players have found a way to thrive on Connor’s wing. Well, what about having him play with the best grinder of all-time? Mouth-watering idea, isn’t it? Reckon they could toss MacKinnon on the other wing? Woof! Name me a better line in hockey history!
The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, and TSN just to name a few!
If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!
Give us a follow on the socials!
- Youtube: Beer League Heroes Channel
- Twitter: @beerleagueheroe
- Instagram: @beerleagueheroes
- Facebook: Beer League Heroes
Oilersnation
Edmonton Oilers may not be done in net
- The team may still be looking at improving their situation in net after failing to address the situation in the off-season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman penned in his first 32 Thoughts column of the season.
“I don’t think Edmonton is done in goal. That storyline sticks around for a while. Mike Smith will be there, but what happens around him?”
- The team was rumoured to be in discussions with the Columbus Blue Jackets surrounding Elvis Merzlikins or Joonas Korpisalo, but nothing materialized.
- The club also were deep in talks with the Arizona Coyotes around Darcy Kuemper, but was ultimately outbid by the Colorado Avalanche.
- In early August, Friedman and Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek theorized that Anton Khudobin could be a goaltender the Oilers target in a trade to pair alongside Smith. Dallas has Ben Bishop in net and signed Braden Holtby this past offseason meaning if Bishop is healthy, Khudobin could be on the outside looking in.
BLH’s Thoughts: Holland said on Oilers Now yesterday that he likes his tandem of Smith and Koskinen. Plus, with the news that Alex Stalock will miss the year, Holland added that he won’t be looking to add another netminder to replace the American goalie as they’ve got Stu Skinner and Ilya Konovalov ready to be recalled.
So, it’s up to you as to who you want to believe, Elliotte Friedman or Ken Holland. I just know this, I’ve been told the team is still looking and I’ve heard Arizona and Buffalo’s name come up on countless occasions. If they get involved in any deal with the Oilers, I imagine it will be as a facilitator of cash since they don’t really have any NHL goalies on their rosters.
Lowetide.ca
WATCHER OF THE SKIES
- Ken Holland is too smart to enter a third playoff spring with the Smith-Koskinen tandem.
- I think the goalie situation gets solved at the deadline. Mikko Koskinen plus a first-round pick kind of deal.
- The delayed arrival on the ice by Keith gives Edmonton some time to evaluate possible replacements for the veteran on the second pair.
- Holland had good things to say about Tyler Benson, saying he’s proven to be a top AHL player. He mentioned waivers, coming into training camp and getting every opportunity. He said, and this important, he has to “play his way off the team” and that’s a very good indication. Holland send Benson spent all summer in the gym.
BLH’s Thoughts:
Sportsnet
32 Thoughts: The state of the RFA market as training camps open
- I know there’s a craving for Jack Eichel information.
- This is what I’m expecting over the next few days: Eichel comes to camp, but does not pass his physical and is not cleared to play.
- I also think there’s a very good chance Buffalo removes his captaincy.
- What I don’t know is if they’ve settled the medical path.
- I heard there were some trade talks a couple of weeks ago, but I think people want to see what the doctors say.
- In Ottawa, they’ve talked long-term with Tkachuk and we’ll see if short-term is necessary to get it done.
- I’m not sure they are far apart in actual dollars, but structure, with the Senators not being a team that gives much in bonuses.
- I’m also wondering if another skirmish is over no-trade or no-move protection at the end of a long-term deal.
- In Vancouver, both team and Hughes/Pettersson have been grinding hard on almost a daily basis.
- It’s believed the Canucks are currently thinking short term in both cases, but Kaprizov’s deal makes me wonder if the true solution is Mikko Rantanen’s six-year, $9.25M contract that would buy the Canucks two years of free agency.
- It was quiet on Thomas before he signed. I think St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong told teams he wasn’t interested in trading the player, because there definitely are admirers.
- Nathan MacKinnon confirmed a good little rumour — that Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid skated as linemates at a Montreal camp…
BLH’s Thoughts:
